There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Williamson declared a personal interest in item number 3, as he was a Ward Councillor for the Claydon Ward where the application site was situated.

However, in accordance with the Council's constitution was allowed to speak on the item.

The Committee received and considered the report from the Senior Planning Officer.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the application to the Committee.

Mr Chris Stammers, applicant's agent, addressed the Committee and reported the salient areas of the application whilst a fly-through video was streamed outlining the proposal.

Councillor Williamson, Ward Councillor, addressed the Committee and reported the views of over 100 of his constituents who strongly objected to the application as it would result in the loss of the resident's valuable green recreational area which was used by dog walkers and young children, loss of privacy to adjoining properties, exacerbate parking issues, the extra junctions onto Crab Lane from the parking access would be dangerous to exit and there were other more appropriate sites in the area which this development would better suit.

Members also voiced their concerns over the suitability of the site as it was situated very close to a busy, major road artery from Belton, Bradwell to Gorleston. The Chairman proposed that the application be deferred pending a site visit to allow the Committee to view the application site at peak traffic times, i.e., between 8 and 9 am or 3 and 4 pm when the school run was underway.

The Executive Services Officer reported that she would schedule a site visit for week commencing Monday, 12 April 2021 and send a meeting invitation to the Committee.

RESOLVED:-

That application number 06/20/0566/F be deferred pending a site visit.

The Chairman reported that this item had been deferred, in light of Officers receiving amended plans following the publication of the Committee report. This application had therefore been subject to further consultation which would not be completed until after the Committee had been held.

RESOLVED:-

That application number 06/20/0568/F be deferred.

The Committee received and considered the report from the Senior Planning Manager.

The Senior Planning Manager presented the application to the Committee and reported the further consultation responses which had been received since the publication of the committee report.

Councillor P Hammond asked for clarification as to the AOD level on the application site as he was aware of another application in the local vicinity which had recently been refused after consultation with the Local Lead Flood Authority on the AOD level on the proposed site. 

Mr Chris Stammers, applicant's agent, addressed the Committee and reported the salient areas of the application whilst a fly-through video was streamed outlining the proposal. Mr Stammers reported that the AOD on the site was 4.9m at ground floor level.

Mr Mike Cook, objector, addressed the Committee and reported his concerns and those of his neighbours to the application and asked the Committee to refuse the application as it would result in the loss of the street scene, it was over-development of the site resulting in over-looking into adjacent properties and would affect the tourist offer on the adjacent properties on Wellesley Road. Mr Cook requested that the communal bin store should be re-sited and not be enclosed to prevent the illegal dumping of rubbish. If the communal bins were sited on the eastern side boundary wall to Wellesley Road, this would lead to unpleasant smells for the nearby guest houses.

Councillor A Wright reported that although he sympathised with the concerns of Mr Cook, this type of housing was much needed in the Borough and this site could accommodate the proposed application and there he was minded to support the application if some of the concerns of Mr Cook could be overcome by the addition of obscure glazing to negate overlooking and the re-siting of the communal bin store. 

Councillor Lawn proposed that the application be approved which was seconded by Councillor Wainwright.

RESOLVED:-

That application number 06/20/0567/F be approved in principle and subject to the Section 106 agreement being concluded for mitigation payments under the Habitat Regulations and with conditions for:

o Highways regarding the demarcation and provision of parking and cycle spaces;
o Hard and soft landscape materials, species, planting programme;
o Lighting;
o Other ancillary items (bird boxes, bins and cycle stores);
o Passive provision for Electric Vehicles;
o Security doors, windows, CCTV provision;
o Unexpected contamination during construction;
o Informative notes on noise (timing of works) and air quality during construction are needed and some of these will need to be agreed relatively early in the process as the positioning of lighting CCTV and EV provision for example will involve buried services within the groundworks; and those conditions agreed at the meeting - re-siting of the communal bin store and obscure glazing to alleviate over-looking of adjacent properties on Euston Road.

The Chairman reported that there was no other business being of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration at the meeting.